Shelf loader for long materials

ABSTRACT

A shelf loader for long materials comprises an elongated frame which is movable on wheels between shelf compartments and which carries a lift frame which is movable upwardly and downwardly on a side thereof. The lift frame provides a stand for one or more operators and it includes a telescoping member having a load carrier thereon which may be shifted laterally in a direction toward the shelf compartments for the purpose of lifting long elements from the shelves or inserting them on the shelves. In one form the load carrier is attached to the lifting frame by hinged braces which permits it to be lifted upwardly and shifted laterally, and in another arrangement it is carried on a car which may be moved transversely along the lifting frame from one shelf side to an opposite shelf side. The lifting frame is adapted to carry a removable hoist. The load bearing platform is advantageously carried on a support truss which is vertically movable in order to shift the load off the carrier to permit the shifting movement of the carrier and the realignment of the load therewith at a laterally spaced location. The load carrier itself includes transversely shiftable portions so that the load may be shifted by a combination of movements of the shiftable load carrier portions and the lifting truss.

United States Patent [191 Bergerhoff et a1.

[ June 26, 1973 SHELF LOADER FOR LONG MATERIALS [75] Inventors:Klaus-Peter Bergerhoff, Waldheim Kr. Aachen; Theobald Becke, Hagen, bothof Germany [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Oct. 10,1969 Germany P19 51 14314 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS l/l959Alimanestiano 2l4/l6.l CB 3,063,579 11/1962 Alimanestiano 2 l4/l6.l CB3,561,620 12/1969 Willis 2l4/l6.4 A

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 252,119 2/1967 Austria 214/164 A1,217,874

5/1966 Germany 214/l6.4 A

Primary Examiner-Gerald M. Forlenza Assistant Examiner-R. B. JohnsonAttorney-McGlew and Toren [5 7] ABSTRACT A shelf loader for longmaterials comprises an elongated frame which is movable on wheelsbetween shelf compartments and which carries a lift frame which ismovable upwardly and downwardly on a side thereof. The lift frameprovides a stand for one or more operators and it includes a telescopingmember having a load carrier thereon which may be shifted laterally in adirection toward the shelf compartments for the purpose of lifting longelements from the shelves or inserting them on the shelves. In one formthe load carrier is attached to the lifting frame by hinged braceswhichpermits it to be lifted upwardly and shifted laterally, and

in another arrangement it is carried on a car which may be movedtransversely along the lifting frame from one shelf side to an oppositeshelf side. The lifting frame is adapted to carry a removable hoist. Theload bearing platform is advantageously carried on a support truss whichis vertically movable in order to shift the load off the carrier topermit the shifting movement of the carrier and the realignment of theload therewith at a laterally spaced location. The load carrier itselfincludes transversely shiftable portions so that the load may be shiftedby a combination of movements of the shiftable load carrier portionsandthe lifting truss.

1 Claim, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEI] JUN 2 6 I975 SHEET'IBF3 Fig. 1

Inventors KiAUS-PETER fitkmmp WEB/1L0 EEC/(E SHELF LOADER FOR LONGMATERIALS SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates in general tothe construction of a shelf loader and in particular, to a new anduseful shelf loader particularly for long materials including a longlifting frame disposed between two guide columns and load carriers andwhich is movable from side to side into shelf compartments on eitherside of the shelf loader and which includes one or more telescopic partsfor facilitating transfer of the load and which also defines a stand forone or more operators.

The known shelf loaders are suited for loading and unloading longmaterials into and out of shelf compartments from one side. Shelfloaders for loading from the front are also known and they may beequipped with strands for operators. The known shelf loaders for longmaterials are suited only for complete loading and unloading of theshelf compartments. Consigning, mean- .ing the assembly of orders fromvarious shelves is not possible with these machines.

In accordance with the present invention a shelf loader for longmaterials-is provided which is suited both for the loading and unloadingof the shelf compartments and the assemblying or orders. This problem issolved by an arrangement of a centrally located telescoping part on theload carrier which may be shifted around on the lifting frame in thedirection toward the shelf compartments. The lifting frame is made widerthan the load carrier in order to form a stand. The shelf loader travelsin aisles between the shelf compartments. In order to assemble ordersthe central telescoping part is shifted to the shelf side in which thedesired long material is stored. Then there is a free side on thelifting frame which forms a stand for the operators who reach over thematerial bins resting on the load carriers at the shelf side. In orderto take material out of the respective shelf side the centraltelescoping part is moved to the other shelf side. The operators standat the ends of the stand while the central telescoping part is shifted.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the load carriersmay be attached to the lifting frame by hinged braces which permit theraising and lowering of the load carriers and the lateral shiftingthereof or they may be carried on cars or sliding boxes which aremovable transversely along the lifting frame. The use of the hingedbraces entails the disadvantage that the load must be lifted in order topivot the hinge braces. Suited for this purpose, according to theinvention, is an overhead hoist which is disposed on the lifting frameand is movable above the load carrier in the direction toward the shelfcompartments. It may be even used for consigning heavy parts. It isdisposed between the guide columns and readily movable in order not tointerfere when the material bins are moved into the shelf compartments.

In a further characteristic of the invention support trusses arearranged below the carriers for the loads and they are equipped withload indicators. The height adjustment of the support trusses serve forthe lifting of the long materials of material bins off the load carriersso that the latter can be moved underneath the long material into theposition in which loading of the material into the desired compartmentsis possible. Raising the support trusses may be accomplished eithermechanically or hydraulically. The load carrier itself may include anintermediate part which may be disposed in a manner such that it isbetween the telescoping part and the load carrier and it can move as faras possible into the shelf compartments beyond the center row telescopicpart in order to position the materials for loading and unloading asdesired.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention arepointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming apart of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention,its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use,reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptivematter in which there are illustrated and described preferredembodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a shelf loader constructed inaccordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the shelf loader indicated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial side elevational view of the lifting frame of theshelf loader;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 of another embodiment of theinvention; and

FIGS. 5a to 5b, 5c, 5d, and 5e are schematic side elevational viewsindicating the manner in which the load carrier and support trussescooperate during a shifting operation.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to thedrawings in particular, the invention embodied therein in FIGS. 1 and 2and 3 comprises a shelf loader generally designated'50 which comprises aguide frame having guide columns 3, 3' and longitudinal beams 4, 4'carrying wheels 5, 5' which permit the device to be moved along atrackway 2 between rows of shelves generally indicated and designated Iand 1', respectively.

In accordance with the invention a lifting platform or frame 6 issupported on lifting cables 52, 52 and may be moved upwardly anddownwardly in respect to the loader frame 50 under a control of a motor19.

The lifting frame 6 supports a stand 14 which is equipped at its endfaces with a laterally lengthadjustable protective railing 15. As shownin particular in FIG. 3, the platform 14 provides a mounting for a loadsupporting assembly 54 which includes a central telescoping part 7 whichis supported on braces 11, 11' which are parallelly arranged andpivotally supported. The braces 11, 11 support the central telescopicpart 7 of the load bearing device or load support 54 which also includesan intermediate part 8 and an outer or load carrier carrying part 9which may be shifted laterally to the extended position indicated inFIG. 3. In this embodiment an overhead hoist 17 which is carried on anupright member or support 18 and the support 18 is removably carried onthe lifting frame 6. In FIG. 3, the load carrying device 54 is shown inan extended position in which material bin 13 is oriented in a positionat which it may be deposited within the shelves 1. There is ample spaceon the platform 14 for an operator between the load carrier mechanism 54and the edge of the stand 14 and this is made safe for the operator by aprotective railing l5 and a bar 16 which is atreadily removable.

In the embodiment'indicatedin FIG. 4, a lifting frame 6' includes a loadsupporting mechanism 54"which is arranged directly adjacent a liftingtruss 10' which includes a fixed lower part loa having eittensiblesupport- 1 ing arms 10b on each endwhichQfor example, rnaylbe fluidpiston and cylinder sets for raisingand lowering a supporting platformportiorr 10'c of the trussin orderj n to facilitate the lifting of theload ontoand offuof the loading device 54. In this embodiment theloadingde- 1 vice 54 also includes the platform portion7",8 ands similar tothat of FIG. 13 embodiment. lnwthis construction, the centraltelescoping part 7' is supported on a1 .15 wardly and forwardly on theplatform 14 between the sliding box member 12 which may be shiftedbackshelf compartments 1a and 1a on each side thereof.

In the schematicshowing of FIGS. 5a to Se, the sequence of operationswhich are necessaryto transfer a material bin 13 from one side of theshelf lato another aide 1a is shown. The material bin 13 forstoringlo'ng materials is at rest on theleft sideof the shelfloadei' onthe platform portion 9' and; it arrives atitsposition as indicated inFIG. 5a as a result of the materialbin 13 being lifted out of the shelfcompartments lanThe mafterialbin 1a is thenliftedoff the load carrierplatform I by the supporting truss 10" asindicated in FIG. 5b; Inaposition of Sc, the load carrier-platform 9 is moved to the leftand inSb the material bin 13is lowereddown "on the load carrying platform 9;once lagainif 'lhe sup portingtrusslo' is loweredfurthersothatthematerial {bin 13 can be moved to therightaccordingtotheshow I 3 lrA shelf loader forloading.rhaterialsonone or more 'i I shelfcompartments arranged. in rows; comprising a. loader frame adaptedltobemo ed between t he rows of th e shelf compartments, a lift platform,means support 4 mg said 'lift platform onsaid loaderframe for and l downerticalmovernent thereon, a supportingplate carried on said liftplatform,a boxmember movable" along said'platforrn from side to sidethereof and earrylfing said supporting plate, at least oneload plate onsaidsupporting plate and being shiftablelater ally in respect; to saidsupporting plate in directionsto ward and awaytrom the shelfcompartments on each side or said lift platform, and lift truss meansfon said I box member and connected to said supportinglplate andincluding amembenrno able belowsaidsupport ing plate to. engage a loadonf'said plate and liftritfup f I wardly therefrom.

er carrier H

1. A shelf loader for loading materials on one or more shelfcompartments arranged in rows, comprising a loader frame adapted to bemoved between the rows of the shelf compartments, a lift platform, meanssupporting said lift platform on said loader frame for up and downvertical movement thereon, a supporting plate carried on said liftplatform, a box member movable along said platform from side to sidethereof and carrying said supporting plate, at least one loader carrierplate on said supporting plate and being shiftable laterally in respectto said supporting plate in directions toward and away from the shelfcompartments on each side of said lift platform, and lift truss means onsaid box member and connected to said supporting plate and including amember movable below said supporting plate to engage a load on saidplate and lift it upwardly therefrom.